Well drilling apparatus



March l, 1932. s. HAMER 1,841,717

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l LMA March 1, 1932. s HAMER 1,847-717 WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J4 El f@ if WMM March 1, 1932. L. s! HAMER 1,847,717

WELL DRLLNG APPARATS Filed July 9, 1923 4 Sheets-'Sheet 3 e/a a S. /dmer f WMM is f fo neg Filed July 9, 192s 4 sheets-'sheet 4 O j 5 /5 a .93

hren/0f e/a/id J. /famer wwf/M 5 the bits. The parts thus connected and dis-v connected are usually handled by tongs, andi it is often necessary, foi` instance, when dis-'5 Erl Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LELAND S. KAMER, OF FULLBTON, CALIFORNIAY WELL DRILLI'NG APPARATUS AAmilicaticn filed July 9, 1923. `Serial No. 650,289.

In drilling with the rot-ary method various parts are frequently screwed together and taken apart, this being particularly true of the stands of drill pipe employed to operate connecting stands 'of drill pipe, to apply `great force to the tongs in order to break the Joints.

I. 'With Ordinar i drilling apparatusy the tongs are operated y a linehav'ing one end coniiected with the handle of the Vtongs and the other end arranged around a winch-head, termed the cat-head, of the draw works. A

man has to arrange the line around the cat-Y head and pull it tight to cause it tozgrip the head. The man operatingthis line is constantly iii-danger, as occasionally the line fouls on the head and breaks or the tong is releasedfrom the work and is drawn toward the cat-head or draw works. This method of operating tongs, in addition to being more or less dangerous, requiresconsiderable time as the line lhas to be arranged on the cat-head by hand every time the tong is operated.

It is a general object of this invention tO provide an effective, improved apparatus for operating tongs, or the like.

A particular object of my invention is to provide a tongs operating apparatus which is always connected with the tongs ready to operate, and, therefore, does not have to be connected up or manipulated by hand before g each operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a tongs operating apparatus which is controlled by the driller from his usual position at the draw Vworks removed from the kpoint toward whichthe tongs ispulled, thus eliminating danger to the operator.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tongsoperating apparatus which will operate the tongs a predetermined amount, and, therefore, will not draw the tongs into the draw works.

Another object of this invention is to pro-` with tongs, or the like,lapplied lto work arvide'a tongs operating mechanism such as I have above referred to whichr is adjustable' as it operates thev A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus, such as I have above referred to, which is applicable to an ordinary draw works as an attachment and without requiring changes inthe construction or operation of the draw Works.

` drawings, in which Fig. lis a front elevation or face view of a typical draw works, provided with my present invention;v f y Fig. 2 is an end view of the draw works shown inl Fig. l, being a view taken as indicated by the line 2-2 on Fig. Yl;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, being a view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 2; p

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a part of the apparatus provided .by my invention, being a view taken as indicated by the line 4,-4 on Figi; n

F ig.4 5 is' an enlarged detail view showing the mechanism provided by my 'invention in its actuated position, being la` view taken as indicated by the linev 5-5von Fig. l; n

Fig. 6 is a plan section, taken as indicated by the Aline (-Gonv Fig. l;

y Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing thed mechanism in its unactuated position; an Y l Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of theapparatus showing a modified form of construction. v

My present invention is of such nature that it can be applied to -or embodied in a Well drilling rig independent of any of the other parts-or mechanismsy of the rig, it being desirable howeverthat it be related to the rotary so that it can be effectively connected ranged in orat the rotary, andthat it have a suitable connection with a source of power, for instance, the enginey that operates the other mechanisms of the rig. i

In practiceiit' isrniost convenient and adinvention can be appliedito them-Withoutl altering or disturbing them in any way. fis it is advantageous that my invention beappli'- cable to a draw works as an attachment that may be applied without changing or interfering .with the-draw works in-.a-ny'w'ay- I will herein 'describe a form of my invention that can belreadily applied toa draw works Y as an attachment, it-being understood, however, that various features of; construction of my invention might be varied or modified in case theinventionis embodied ina draw works asa standardpart.

To facilitate aclear and'full understand-- ing of my invention I have disclosed the invention as applied to or in combination with atypical draw works constructed and located in a rig in the usual manner.

The frameY of the draw worksis constructed as a permanent part of the rigand includes a horizontal head board or girthlO, located at one side of the derrick aty a point above the derrick floor. 11,1aleft'hand upright 12,- eX- tending between the girth 10, and a: sill 13 lat the derrick floor 1 1, a right hand upright14 extending vbetween the girthand sill 13, and a'center upright 15 located between the uprigh-ts 12 and 14 and extending'between the girth 10 Iand sill 13. A horizontal drive shaft 16 is mounted inthe upper part of the i frame, being carried in bearings 17 ymounted on the rear sides of-the uprights 12,14 and j The drive shaft.T 16 Eis a comparatively heavy shaftusually driven by an engines' (not shown) located outside of= theL rig yclutch 25.

through a chain drive 18, orY the like.` A horizontal drum shaft'19y is carried by the frame below the drive shaft,16, it being mounted in bearings 20 mounted on the inner or' front sides 'ofthe uprights 12V and`i15.

The drum shaft 19 has a comparatively large reel ordrum21 mounted on it between the uprights' 12 and 15. In the particular draw works illustrated in the drawingsl the drum is `ofisuch size 'andis 'so `located on the drum shaft 19 as to leave Aconsiderable clearance or spaceb'etween the end of the drum and the center upright 15. The drum shaft 19A is adapted to bev driven from the drive shaft 16l through a chain drive connection 22 and clutch 23 or: a chain drive connection 24 and The speeddratios of the two driving .connections22 and -24 are different, making it'possible to drive theshaft 19rat differ- 655 ent4k speedsfromY they drive@ shaft 16. The

clutch 23, which controls the drive connection 22, is operable from a lever 30, at the left hand upright of the draw works, through a suitable control part or lever 26 and a yoke 27, while the clutch 25, which controls the drive connection 24, is operable from a lever 28, at the left hand upright, Vthrough. a yoke 29.Y Therotary unit 31 located at the center of the derrick floor 11 is driven from the drive shaft 16 through a chain drive connectionu32iiand control-clutch 33. The control clutch 33 of the rotary drive is located on theV shaft 16"between the right hand upright 14 andcenter upright 15 and is controlled by va lever 34, located y'at the left hand upright 12, through connecting parts 135 and ayoke 36. The' control )levers for-the-variousparts ofl the`v apparatus being located at the left hand upright 'ofthe draw-works;- the driller,

who controls the various mechanismsA ofthe.

rig, usually stands attheleft end-of the draw.

works lwhen the rig'is in operation...

The partsfthusfar describedare those common to rotary well drilling. rigsandthe/ai'-- rangement of parts maybe considered typical of that usuallyemployeda The form of 'the present invention. Athat I have setforth in thedrawings-isfadapted to-Y be applied orattaclied to tliedrive slifaft16y o-fV the draw jworks. nThe. mechanism includes,Y

generally, ajcam. 37-adaptedto`be Vdriven -from thedriveshaft 16 through. a clutch 38; a lever" or.y arm 39 adapted to beoperated. by--thecam 37,A and an operating.connection140 between,i the arm BQJaI-idthexmember.4 orA tool toV be operated. In the case of a.drawwork-such -asI have hereinabove described, themechanism ofV the` presenty inventionY is preferably mountedv on orfapplied to the` drive shaftv16 'andotherf parts sothat it islatlor opposite the space between theend offthedrunrQl `andfcenter upright15. Ifthedraw worksv is-constructed so that there is no spacebetween Ythe'drum` and.-v center upright,1I may proportion` and .locate the mechanism of myfinventionl .at-fairy pgoint in the draw works where it'willf`operate.properly and-,avoidfinterferencewith the various parts-offthefdraw works..y Y

The cam 87 is preferably mounted directlyon the shaft 16 so that-itisffreely-rotatable on the shaft. In the form of the invention illus trated in the idrawingsithetcam is; corn'pa-ral tively large and vhas afcircular rim.=41; witha flat cam-face l42,a hub-43,'andspokes44.

which connect -thelhub andrim.- The rimis', v

of course, supported eccentrically with .relation to the hub so that the-cam hasthe desired throw. The liu-b carriesa sii-itableibearingi45 f which freely fits `Vthev slra-ft.l6. When the@ mechanism of my inventionfisfto attached to a draw works, ,orf thev like-,as I am iherein describing. it,--1the cam .37- is v:formed in two l separable .sections adapted .to be. securedsto gether around tlieshaft 16T by suitablerbo'lts 46 and 47. The bolts 46 connect spokes whichI abut when the sections of the cam are arranged together, while the bolts 47 connect the hub part-s.

The clutch 38, in accordance with the preferred form of my invention, is a friction clutch. The clutch that I have illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, is of the cone ty e, and includes a female part 48 connected with the cam, and a male part 49 connected with the shaft 16, and adapted to be moved into and out of cooperative engagement with the female part. The female part 48 has a tapered opening 50 in it, lined with a suitable friction lining 51, and is provided at its inner or small end with a flange 52 by which it is connected to the cam 37 by bolts 53. The female part 48 is formed in two sections so that it can be arranged or assembled around the shaft 16. The two sections of the female part 48 may be secured together by bolts con-- necting flanges 54 provided at the abutting edges of the sections. In practice the female clutch part 48 is secured to the cam 37 so that its line of joinder is at right angles to that of the cam, thus causing the cam and clutch sections to tie each other together. The male clutch part 49 is slidably keyed to the shaft 16 by a suitable key 55, andis provided with a tapered body part havinga friction facing 56 and adapted to fit into the tapered opening in the female part 48. The male clutch part 48 is formed in two sections so that it can be arranged together or assembled around the shaft 16, and its sections being secured together by suitable bolts 58. A. stop collar 59 is applied n to the shaft 16 so that it operates to limit the outward movement of the male clutch part.

Although the clutch 38 may be controlled in various manners, and may be controlled from various pointsl in the rig, I prefer to control it from a lever 61, or like part, located at the left hand upright of the draw works. The male clutch part may be conv trolled from the lever 61 through a shaft 62,

i' a rod 63, a lever64, and a yoke 65. The yoke 65 is carried by the lever 64 and fits over the hub 60 of the male clutch part. The yoke carries blocks 66 which are slidably carried inan annular groove 67 provided in the hub 60. It will be obvious from inspection of the drawings, and particularly Fig. 1, how movement of the lever 61 willcause swinging of the yoke 65 and move the male clutch part 49 into and out of cooperative engagement with the female clutch part 48. By thus providing the control lever for the clutch at the left hand end of the draw worksl the driller can conveniently operate it without leaving his post. I preferably provide means in connection with the male clutch part or its operating mechanism for normally holding it in released position. In the drawings I have shown a spring 64a in connection with the girth 10 and lever 64 so that it operates to yieldingly hold the lmale clutch part out.

The arm l39 is preferably arranged or mounted so that it is operated upon directly bythe cam 37. It is convenient to pivotally connect the arm 39 to the girth 10 by a suitable bracket 70 and pivot pin 71 so that it extends or hangs downwardly in engagement with the cam at the rear of the cam and draw Vworks'. Where the cam 37 operates on or cooperates with the arm 39 I provide a bearing shoe 72 having a flat bearing surface 73 to cooperate with the flat cam surface 42 of the rim of the cam, and having flanges 74 which extend on either side of the cam 41. The flanges operate to hold the arm and rim in proper alinement. In the arrangement that I have illustrated in the drawings vthe arm 39 is held against, or in cooperative engagement with, the cam by gravity, however, I prefer to aid the gravitational action by holding the arm in engagement with the cam by a spring 75 connecting the arm with a suitable bracket 76 mounted on the center upright l5. Further, when the axis of pivotal mounting of the arm 37 is located with relation to the point contact between the arm and cam, as I have illustrated it in the drawings, I preferably bend or shape the arm so that its outer portion 77 is at an angle to itsv inner portion so that it is substantially vertical when midway between the two positions to which it is moved by the cam. However, it will be obvious that in practice the arm may, in any given ease, be proportioned and shapedin the most advantageous manner. v

The connection 40, provided by the present invention for connecting the arm 39 with a tool, for instance, a tongs `80, arranged on a drill pipe coupling 81 ata stand of drill pipe 82 carried in the rotary 3l, includes, a yoke 84 and a flexible member or line 85. When I herein use the term tongs I mean to include not only tongs but also any other tool or object that canbe handled or operated upon by the mechanism I have provided. The yoke 84 faces toward the rear of the draw works and has the outerfends of its arms connected with the arm 39 by a pivot pin 86. The arms of the yoke-are spaced apart and shaped so that they will receive the cam and will operate without interfering with any other parts of the mechanism. In order that the arms ofthe yoke may be connected with the arm 39 ata point substantially in line horizontally with the shaft 16, I preferably curve the outer portions 87 of the arms vertically, as I have illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In order that the yoke may be connected to the arm at various points I provide a series of holes or openings 89 along the arm 39 so that any one of them may be employed to carry the pivot pin 86. In the form of mechanism illustrated in the drawings, theyoke 84 is preferably reversed so that the parts 87 of the arm extend down- A wardly when the pivot bolt 86 is arranged. in

an opening` above or further inward than the one shown in the drawings. The inner end of the line 85 may be permanently connectedy with the yoke 811, while the outer end of the lineS is adapted to detachably connect with the handle of the tool 80. A

In accordance with my invention I may provide means for supporting the yoke 811 in a substantiallyhorizontal position when the mechanism is not in operation. This means may include a bracket 90 mounted on the center upright and a projection 91 carried by the bracket so that it extends under the yoke. The projection vmay be in the form of a long bolt and the bracket may be provided at various points along its length with open ings 92 so that the bolt may be arranged at different points to properly support the yoke when it is connected with different points on the arm 39.

In order that the cam and arm may operate to pull objectsin directions other than directly toward them I provide vertical guide rollers 93 at the sides of the line 85 immediately 'in front of the draw works. rIhe rollers 93 may be carried by shafts 94V sup- Y ported by brackets 95 at the derrick iioor, and

brackets 96 connected with the girth 10. It will be obvious from inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawings how the rollers 98 operate to guide the line 85 so that the outer end of the line may be connected to an object at any point in the rig and will direct the inner end portion of the line so that the pull comes in the proper direction on the arm and cam.

I balance the cam and female clutch part by oroeerlv designing them and b a l in0` l a; n :n

suitable balance weights 100 and 101 to them so that the cam normally remains in the position illustrated in Fig. 7 where it projects toward they front of theY draw works and allows the arm 39 to be in its in or forward position. IVhen the cam has been rotated to another position, for instance, to the positionillustrated in Fig. 5, by engaging the clutch, the weights and balancing of the cam and female'clutch part will return it to its normal position `as illustrated in Fig. 7 immediately upon the clutch being released.;

In operation the clutch 87 is normally released and the cam 39 normally projects for ward, as illustrated in Fig. 7, so that the arm 39 is forward. When the mechanism is operating tongs the tongs 8G, having the line 85 connected to its handle, is arranged in place on the joint 81 so that the line 85 is fairly tight, or at least so that the most of the slack is out of it. To operate the tongs the driller, located at the left hand end of the draw works, operates the lever 61 so that the male clutch part moves into cooperative enga-gement with the female clutch part, causing the cam to rotate. The cam rotating moves the arm 39 rearwardly and the arm carries withit the yoke 84'" which in turn pulls the line 85,- thus operating the tongs. If it is desired to operate the tong through a considerable distance the cam may be rotated through a full one hundred andeighty degrecs' to the position shown in Fig. 5, thus i causing a maximum movement of the arm 39, and if the mechanismis connected, as I have illustrated in the drawings, and a greater movement is desired than can be obtained by a complete operation of the cam, the yoke may be connected further out on the arm so that it has a greater movement. It will be apparent that any desired leverage or amount of movement may be obtained by suitably shaping the cam and by connecting the yoke to the proper point on the arm 39. If it is desired to jerk the tongs, that is, to apply force to it suddenly, the lever 61 can be operated to throw the clutch in quick so that the cam is immediately locked with and driven by the drive shaft, while, on the other hand, if it is desired to apply the force to the tongs smoothly and gradually this may be done by operating the lever so that the clutch eases in slowly and without grabbing. It will be apparent that the driller has full control of the mechanism and that he can operate the tongs in any manner he may desire. Further, the line85 may be left connected with the tongs so that the mechanism is ready for operation as soon as the tongs is applied to the joint.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings I show another form of clutch that may be employed in carrying out my invention. This clutch, like the one hereinabove described, is a friction clutch, it being different from the one I have described in that its cooperating or gripping parts are in the form of iiat plates. A flat clutch plate 110 is secured to the cam 370 while a corresponding fiat plate 111 is carried at the end of a hub 112 slidably keyed to the shaft 16 by a suitable key 55. One of the plates is provided with a suitable friction facing 114. The hub 112 is adapted to ne moved on the shaft to move the plate 111 into and out of cooperative engagement with the plate 110. The hub may be moved through a yoke 65-connected with blocks 66 which operate in an annulargroove 67 formed in the hub.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention in its broader aspects is applicable to various situations, that is, to rigs and draw works of various types or constructions, that the invention may be advantageously employed to operate tongs and various other parts or objects about a rig, and that the mechanism required in carrying out my invention may be comparatively simpleand inexpensive and may be designed and constructed'so that it is convenient to apply to an ordinary draw works, and is convenient to operate. Further, the-form, arrangement, and detailsof the mechanism may be varied widely and still be within the broader aspects of my invention. nature of my invention I wish it considered broadly, and I do not limit myself to the particular details hereinabove set out but wish to reserve to myself any changes or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In combination, a draw works including a frame and a horizontal drive shaft in the frame, a cam freely mounted on the shaft, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame to hang in cooperative engagement with the cam,

means for connecting the arm and a part to be operated, and a clutch for connecting the shaft and cam.

2. In combination, a draw works including a frame and a horizontal drive shaft, a cam freely mounted on the shaft, Van arm, means pivotally mounting the arm on the frame to hang in cooperative engagement with the cam, a clutch for connecting the shaft and cam, a yoke extending past the cam and connecting to the arm, and a flexible member for connecting the yoke with a part to be operated.

3. A well drilling apparatus including a draw works having a frame and a drive shaft, a cam freely mounted on the shaft, a clutch part attached to the cam, a complementary clutch part slidably keyed to the shaft, means for operating the last mentioned clutch part to move it into cooperative engagement with the first mentioned clutch part, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame to hang in cooperative engagement with the cam at the rear of the draw works, a spring operating to hold the arm in cooperative engagement with the cam, a yoke arranged to extend rearwardly past the cam, means for adjustably connecting the rear portion of the yoke with the arm, means for supporting the forward portion of the yoke, a flexible member connected with the forward portion of the yoke and adapted to be connected with a part to be operated, and rollers located atthe front of the draw works to guide said flexible member.

4. A tong operating device foruse in connection with a draw works having a shaft and a frame which includes a cam free on the shaft, an arm pivoted on the frame above the cam to normally hang in engagement with the cam, a yoke, means for connecting the` yoke to the arm at any one of a plurality of points spaced longitudinally of the arm, means for connecting the yoke with the tongs, and a clutch on the shaft for connecting the cam with the shaft.

5. A tong operating device for use in connection with a draw works having a shaft and a frame which includes a cam free on 'the shaft, an arm pivoted on the frame above In view of theV and a clutch on the shaft for connecting the cam with the shaft including a female member mounted on the cam, and a male member slidable on the shaft for cooperating with the female member.

6. An attachment for a draw works having a shaft and a frame which includes a sectional cam, means for securing the cam sections t0- gether on the shaft, an arm adapted to be pivotally mounted on the frame to hang in engagement with the cam to be operated by the cam, and means for controlling the cooperation between the arm and the cam including a clutch member mounted on the cam, and a clutch member on the shaft, the said clutch members being relatively axially shiftable into and out of cooperative engagement.

7. A device for use on the draw works of a well drilling apparatus for operating tongs which includes, a cam to be freely mounted on a shaft of the draw works, an arm to be pivotally mounted on the frame of the draw works in position to be engaged by the cam, spring means for holding the arm in engagement with the cam, means for connecting the arm with tongs, and a clutch to be mounted on the shaft including a member to be mounted on the cam, and a member rotatable with the shaft operable into driving engagement with the first-mentioned member.

8. An attachment for a draw works having a drive shaft which includes, a cam comprising sections to be assembled around the shaft, means for securing the sections of the cam together, a clutch including sections to be assembled around the shaft to form a releasable driving connection between the shaft and cam, means for securing the clutch sections together on the shaft, a pivotally mounted member operable by the cam, and means for connecting saidmember and a part to be operated.

9. An attachment for the draw works of a well drilling apparatus having ak rotating shaft which includes a pivoted arm, a cam to be freely mounted on the shaft in position to engage the arm, means for connecting the arm with a part to be operated, a clutch for rotatably connecting the cam with the shaft including a part attached to the cam, a part on the shaft to rotate therewith and slide thereon, and means for slidingv the last-mentioned part into engagement with the firstmentioned part to connect the two parts for rotation.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of July, 1923.

LELAND S. HAMER. 

